The Reality of Our Dreams
by sonicsongbird
Summary: We learn that one person's dreams are another's reality. Declan meets an O/C from Stolen Moments: Preseries. Spoilers will be listed with individual chapters. Rated T for cursing and adult situations. Please read and review. Thanks.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, all. When I started this it was going to be a one shot, but now I'm not so sure. There are all these ideas screaming to be part of this story. Not sure when they will get written, because I'm still working on Stolen Moments. BTW, as mentioned, this story contains on O/C from that story. Even if you haven't read the other, you should still get an idea of who she is in this story. Spoilers for Season 1: Revelations Parts 1 & 2. Hope you enjoy.**

**Bold = thoughts.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sanctuary or any of the characters.**

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><p>Natalija Bancroft traversed the halls of the UK Sanctuary without a sound. Had it really only been two weeks since she was here last to see Uncle James? Spoken with him? Hugged him? Said goodbye to him? All for the last time! Two weeks since her and her brother had let their uncle go on the trip he would not return from, even though they knew!<p>

As the pain of her loss and anger washed over her, she felt her body shift; talons grew, fangs sharpened, eyes darkened to a red/black. She stopped and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. This would not do. What would Uncle James say about her losing control, about letting her emotions override her sensibilities? He had once told her she was emotional like her father and impetuous like her mother. Not a good combination, for someone like her. After a few more moments of concentration, she reverted to her human form. With a smile to herself, she continued on her way.

Natalija hadn't really thought about where she was going, when she told her mother and brother that she needed some air. She had just thrown on her cloak, pulled up the hood, and started walking. She wasn't all that surprised when her feet brought her to the rear entrance of the UK Sanctuary. Now she stood outside her uncle's bedroom door.

Having made it through the building without setting off an alarm or running into any of the residents, didn't phase her much either. After all, this had been her home, on and off, for a considerable amount of her long life. She knew this place better than most of the current residents. Perhaps, even better than the present staff knew it.

Natalija reached out and laid her palm flat against the antique wooden door and sighed. **I miss you so very much Uncle James.**

"Can I help you with something?" A very male, definitely British voice questioned from behind her.

Once again, she had let her emotions take control. She hadn't even heard this man come up on her. She was glad Uncle James was not here to see this. It was so unbefitting for a vampire to be taken unaware by a human, even one trained by her uncle.

Natalija twirled around to look at the man, her skirt and cloak briefly swirling around her legs. She instantly recognized him as her uncle's protégé, Declan MacRae. She replied calmly, "No, Mr. MacRae, I don't think you can help me. For, as of yet, there is no cure for death."

x x x x x

Declan MacRae couldn't sleep. God knows he had tried. For hours he laid on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He even tried a hot shower, to no avail. Finally giving up, he had gotten dressed and decided to go for a walk. He moved without really knowing where he was going. His mind was focused on his current situation.

With James gone, he had been asked to assume leadership of the UK Sanctuary. He needed to mourn the lose of his close friend and still keep everything running smoothly. Magnus had assured him that he was doing a fine job, when she had arrived for the funeral. Unfortunately, it had not alleviated his fears all that much. He knew she was trying to help, but she herself had been distracted by the currently unfolding plans of the Cabal. Not that he could blame her, the bloody bastards had taken her daughter, Ashley.

Before he knew it, he was standing in the hallway near James' room. He momentarily froze when he saw a figure, in a dark hooded cloak, standing near James' bedroom door. Her, yes it was most definitely a female, hand was pressed flat against the old wood.

"Can I help you with something?" Declan asked.

When she turned to face him, his heart skipped a beat. The movement was so fluid, beyond graceful. He was so entranced by her that he nearly missed her answer to his question.

She spoke with a lilting British accent, "No, Mr. MacRae, I don't think you can help me. For, as of yet, there is no cure for death."

x x x x x

Declan was stunned for a second, before he found his voice, "How do you know my name?"

"Uncle James often spoke highly of his newest protégé. He said you were the best of them all. Which is quite a compliment, I must say," she replied matter-of-factly.

"Uncle James?" he questioned, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Yes," she nodded, "My family and I lived here for some time, when I was younger. Uncle James and my mother had been good friends. He was the closest thing I had to a father, at the time."

Natalija didn't know why she was telling him any of this. She really should just leave. It would be safer in the long run to go now. She could walk with Declan back to his room. It would be an easy thing to block his memory, make him believe it was only a dream. Something kept her from doing what she knew she should do, though. Perhaps it was the way he looked at her, even though he couldn't truly see her wrapped as she was in her cloak. Or maybe, it was the pain she saw reflected in his eyes at the mention of Uncle James. Whatever the reason, she held off, for the moment.

"I'm sorry. I can see you cared a great deal for him," Declan said, his stance softening.

"As did you," Natalija responded, reaching out to brush her fingertips lightly across his cheek. She didn't have to read his mind to see that he had cared about her uncle, it was in his eyes and his words.

Declan's eyes widened at the feather-light caress and his breath caught in his throat. Her touch had set all his nerves to tingling. It was as if static electricity danced over the entirety of his skin. Upon seeing his reaction, she pulled away quickly, clasping her hands firmly together in front of her.

"Please forgive me. I had no right," she whispered. She had no idea what had possessed her to do that. All she knew was that she suddenly had this uncontrollable urge to touch him. It had to be the grief, the pain of losing someone that had meant so much to her. It had to be.

"There's nothing to forgive," Declan told her, stepping closer. He had this overwhelming desire to see her. He knew, without a doubt, that he would find her physical form as beautiful as he found her soul to be. He didn't know where this was coming from, only that it was hard to resist. Maybe the stress of the last week was finally catching up with him. That had to be it.

Whatever the reason, he found himself carefully unfastening her cloak. Gently, he pushed back the hood and let the garment fall to the floor in a pile around her feet. She stood unmoving, made no protests to his actions. The first thing he noticed were her bright blue eyes. He knew he had seen eyes so similar quite recently, but his mind couldn't seem to grasp the image. As his focus widened, he took in her beautifully long dark auburn hair that framed her pale face. She wore black heels and a deep purple ankle length dress with long sleeves. Although the dress was not formfitting, it did show off her curves nicely.

"You're absolutely beautiful!" Declan exclaimed.

Natalija felt herself blush and cast her eyes down. Why was this man having such an effect on her? She had been told she was beautiful many times before by both men and women. This time there was something about the way he said it, as if he really saw her; the real her, not the one she let the world see. This frightened and thrilled her at the same time. She peeked up at him through her lashes, to find him still looking at her.

"Please," he spoke quietly, "I didn't mean to embarrass you." Placing a finger under her chin, he brought her face up to look into her eyes. "I meant what I said. You are beautiful. You shouldn't be ashamed of that." He slid his hand along her jaw to cup her cheek.

Closing her eyes, Natalija leaned into his touch. She sighed, "I'm not embarrassed. It's just that I…" She opened her eyes and licked her lips, trying to sort through her suddenly jumbled thoughts, "This feels… I don't know…"

"I know what you mean," Declan agreed.

Before either of them knew it, their lips were pressed together. Declan's arms were wrapped around her waist pulling her against him. Natalija reached her arms up around his neck, burying her fingers in his hair. His tongue brushed across her lower lip and her mouth opened to allow him entrance. Their tongues fought for control, until they had to break apart for air.

"I'm not usually this forward…" Declan said trying to catch his breath.

Natalija smiled and responded breathily, "Talia. My name is Talia. And I know. But… maybe just this once…"

Declan reached for her cloak with one hand and took one of her hands in the other. He led her through the halls to his room, stopping to kiss her every so often.

x x x x x

Natalija kissed her lover's lips tenderly, running her fingers through his hair one more time. She looked into his eyes, "You really should get some sleep, Declan, my love. Things are only going to get worse, before this is over."

"Will I see you again, Talia?" he yawned, "I want to see you again, please." He had all he could do to keep his eyes from closing.

"Yes, Declan. I promise we will most definitely see each other again. Now sleep, my love. When you wake this will be no more than a dream for you. But I'll remember for the both of us," she softly stroked his cheek as he fell into a deep sleep.

Natalija rose from the bed and dressed silently. Her heart nearly broke as she watched Declan sleeping so peacefully. Slipping out of his room, she made her way to the back door.

x x x x x

The next morning, Declan awoke completely relaxed and calm. Opening his eyes, he smiled to himself as flashes of his dream returned to his mind. He had spent an amazing night making love to the most beautiful woman he had ever met in his dreams or reality. As he rose to face the day, he wondered if he would ever find a real woman who would compare to his dream lover.

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><p>So? I'm not very good at romance and even worse at smut. This is the closest I've ever really gotten to either. Tell me what you think. Thanks for reading.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**Well it seems it's not as hard as I thought keeping this story and my Stolen Moments set separate in my head. So, I may be able to update both at about the same time. Don't quote me on that. If it comes down to it, Stolen Moments will win. Sorry. This chapter contains spoilers for Revelations Part 2 and some angst. Enjoy.**

**Bold = thoughts**

**Bold Italics = telepathic messages**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Natalija slipped quietly into the flat she shared, with her mother and brother, here in London. She hoped it was late enough that both would be in their rooms already, as was their custom. It's not that anyone in her family really slept much. Her mother required considerably less sleep than a normal human, while her and Vladimyr needed no sleep, unless they were gravely injured, or she overtaxed her talent. They pretty much used it as their down time; reading, journaling, listening to music, even doing nothing at all. That, of course, was not the case tonight.

"How was your walk?" her brother asked, as soon as she closed the door.

She didn't even flinch, outwardly anyway. Inside she cringed. "Fine. You didn't have to wait up for me. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, as you well know."

Vladimyr rose from his chair and made his way over to his sister, helping her remove her cloak, "It's not you I'm worried about, but the people around you." He inhaled deeply, "Especially, the males."

**Damn him!** "Relax," she nearly growled. "He was very much alive and unharmed when I left him."

"I don't smell alcohol, so not at a bar. What did you do? Pick him up off the stre…" he started, only to be slammed up against the wall.

Natalija's hand was around his throat, pinning him in place. Vladimyr could feel her talons digging into his flesh, as she squeezed just enough to keep him from talking. Her eyes were that deep red that more resembled black, and he could see her fangs when she snarled at him. Normally, he would take pleasure in getting a rise out of his sister, but that had not been his intention this time. Her violent reaction to his comment was unexpected and a bit worrisome.

Fighting back his own transformation, he opened his mind. _**I'm sorry, Tali. I didn't mean anything by it. I just wish you wouldn't go picking up strange men. You never know what you're getting yourself into.**_ To be truthful, he was worried about her. She hadn't been herself, since they had gone to see Uncle James for the last time. Going to his funeral had done nothing to improve her disposition, either.

Natalija sighed and released him. She spun away from him, as she returned to her human form. It was hard to stay angry at him, especially when he was trying to be so sweet. Thinking about sweet, her mind wandered back to the image of Declan sleeping. Her breath hitched for a moment.

"Natalija?"

"I didn't 'pick him up' anywhere," she informed her brother. "I ran into him at the Sanctuary."

Vladimyr actually sputtered, "You went to the Sanctuary and ended up sleeping with who? One of the residents?"

"No," his sister answered. "I went to the Sanctuary and slept with the Head of House."

"What!" her brother dropped down into the nearest chair. "You slept with Uncle James' protégé, Declan MacRae?"

"The one and the same."

There was something in Natalija's voice. Something that caused Vladimyr's heart to clench. He just couldn't quite figure it out. Regret? Sorrow? Pain? No, worse! All of the above!

Natalija mistook her brother's silence for disapproval. "Don't worry! I took care of it. When he wakes up, it will be nothing but a dream for him. A good dream, but a dream none the less."

"What about you?" her brother questioned. He rose again and took her hands in his. She tried to pull away, but he held fast. Vladimyr wanted to look into her eyes, but she refused to raise her head.

"What about me? It's not like I haven't made a lover forget about me before," she responded, trying to sound nonchalant. She failed miserably.

Her brother released one of her hands to tip her face up and searched her eyes, "That's true. But I've never seen it affect you like this before. Ever!"

"I don't know what you're going on about. It is no different than any other time," Natalija told him, but she had averted her eyes.

Vladimyr dragged her to the sofa and pulled her down to sit facing him. He spoke sharply, "I may not be telepathic, my dear sister, but I will always know when you are lying to me."

She snapped her head around to glare at him. Then she sighed and dropped her head once more. She whispered, "Why can you not just let this go? Please, Vladimyr."

"I cannot let it go, because it is causing you pain, Natalija," he replied, lifting her chin to see her face, once more.

He saw the tears start to slide down her cheeks, as she began to cry silently. He released her chin and pulled her into a hug. He began to absently rub her back, as he murmured soothing words in her ear. He hated to see her so upset, but at least she was letting it out. Watching her struggle to hold everything in, over the past two weeks, had been eating away at him. He was her big brother. The one who was supposed to protect her; keep her from all harm. But he could not, it seems, protect her from life.

Slowly, Natalija's crying abated, and she pulled slightly away from her brother's hold. Swiping at her tears with the back of her hand, she gave him a small grin, "Looks like you're going to have to change your shirt."

Vladimyr glanced down at the rather large wet spot on the front of his shirt and smiled back at her, "Looks like."

"I'm sorry, Vladimyr. I didn't mean to treat you so harshly," she apologized softly.

Reaching to wipe away a stray tear, he answered her, "Don't worry about it. What are older brothers for?"

She hit him on the arm, "You are only five minutes older."

"I'm still older," he smirked.

"And, obviously, wiser," she said, becoming serious again. She held up a hand, when he tried to speak. "Don't misunderstand me. I knew what I should have done, but couldn't bring myself to do it. I cannot truly explain why. Perhaps it was because we felt the same pain; shared the same loss. I just knew that I didn't want to go. I wanted to be with him. Afterwards…when we lay together, it felt… different. I felt cherished, maybe even loved. I don't know."

"But" her brother prompted.

She took a deep breath, "I knew I couldn't let him remember, so I did what I had to. Now there is this ache in my heart. How could he come to mean so much to me in such a short time?"

Vladimyr noted that she couldn't even bring herself to say Declan's name. **She's got it bad.** "It's not as if you just met a total stranger. I mean Uncle James told us a lot about… Declan." He gauged her reaction to the mere mention of his name; eyes widened, breath caught in her throat, and a faint blush covered her cheeks. **Correction. She's got it ****really**** bad.**

x x x x x

Helen had been listening, from her bedroom doorway, to her children's conversation. Her original intention had not been to eavesdrop, but to stop whatever had caused the thud on her bedroom wall. Having come in on the part about where her daughter had 'picked up' her comfort for the night, made Helen freeze in her tracks. As the conversation continued, she knew she was going to have to put some distance between her daughter and Declan MacRae. At least for the time being.

Tomorrow, she decided, she would charter a flight. They would return to the New Sanctuary. She should be there to oversee the final stages of the construction, anyway. There really was no point to staying in London. They could mourn James just as well at home as they could here. Perhaps all any of them needed was to get back into their work; to focus on the task at hand. She could only hope.

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><p>Hope you all liked. Nap times over, so it's back to the kiddies. Thanks for reading. Until next time.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's chapter 3. It takes place around the same time as S2E4 Hero, but the only spoiler is for S2E2 End of Nights Pt2. Enjoy.**

**Bold = thoughts**

**Italics = flashbacks/memories**

**Bold italics = telepathic messages**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Natalija stood backstage at the Blue Rose quietly with her hands clasped in front of her, wondering just how insane she was to have agreed to do this. She let her mind wander back over the conversation that led her to this moment.

_"So you'll help us?" Natalija asks._

_"For you, my sweet, I'd do anything," Gig replies. "Now as to my price."_

_"Just how much is this going to cost us?" Vladimyr inquires._

_The Quinterran steeples his fingers in front of himself and smiles, "I want Natalija to sing for me."_

_The twins glance at each other in utter surprise then back to the man sitting across from Natalija. Gig's smile gets wider, "It has come to my attention, my dear Natalija, that your beauty is rivaled only by your divine voice. I'm certain the patrons of my establishment would love to hear you sing, as much as I would."_

_Natalija lowers her gaze to the table in an effort to hide her embarrassment. Sensing her discomfort, her brother questions the other man, "How did you come across this information, I wonder?"_

_"I heard it… What is the phrase? Through the grape vine. And my grapevine is quite extensive, as you should well know," his eyes seem to twinkle with amusement._

_Staring down at his sister, who has yet to look up, Vladimyr opens his mind. __**We can find another way, Tali.**_

_**No. We need his help.**_

_**If just the thought of it causes you this much discomfort…**_

_**I will be fine, since you will be accompanying me.**_

_**Why do I have to accompany you?**_

_**Because it's only fair. And you love me.**__ The last part was conveyed with a mental nudge._

_**You are so lucky that I do.**_

_Natalija raises her head to grin at her brother. Then looks to Gig and informs him, "I'll do it, but you should know my tastes in music do not… coincide with this type of establishment." She indicates the club with a sweep of her hand._

_"I expected as much, my dear, and would never think to insult your sensibilities that way. No. I recently purchased a place much more to your tastes, I assure you," the Quinterran tells her._

_"Really? And exactly what kind of place would that be?" the female vampire inquires._

_"A pub," he answers proudly._

_Vladimyr asks incredulously, "A pub?"_

_Gig turns to him, "Yes. A pub."_

_"You mean a bar?" the male vampire questions._

_"Definitely not!" Gig responds vehemently. "Bars are so… crass."_

_Natalija speaks up, "Yet you own this nightclub?"_

_"A necessary evil, my dear. It is easier to hide my dealings among the masses here," he explains. "But The Blue Rose is my true passion."_

_"The Blue Rose?" she queries._

_"Yes. The Blue Rose," Gig actually appears to blush. "I named it for you."_

_Vladimyr actually snorts, while Natalija just stares at their long time contact in shock. Recovering her senses she quietly asks, "For me?"_

_"Yes," the Quinterran states, "Blue for the color of your eyes and Rose… Well, what other flower would you be?"_

_She shakes her head in amazement, "Sometimes, Gig, you surprise me."_

_"I'm not always the lecherous man you make me out to be," he smirks at her._

_"Only some of the time, then?" Natalija smiles back at him._

_"More like most of the time," Vladimyr comments._

_Gig shrugs, "Perhaps, but still not all the time. Now back to the business at hand, if you will. I think two shows a week for four weeks will do nicely."_

_"What!" both the twins visibly flinch._

_"Come now," he points out to them, "Do you realize what it will take to set up the bank account, alone?"_

_Vladimyr growls low in his throat, "You do realize that we have other obligations to fulfill, don't you?"_

_Natalija places a hand on her brother's arm and turns to Gig, "Perhaps we can do six shows, but I doubt we would be able to do them with any consistency. Our work does not actually conform to a set schedule, Gig."_

_"Of course, you are right. Six is acceptable" he agrees._

_"We will do six shows, when we can. We pick the music. And our mother cannot find out. Ever!" Natalija states looking first to her brother, then to Gig. Both nod their agreement. "Good."_

So there she stood, almost a year later, waiting to go onstage for their first performance. Looking out into the pub, she froze. **Oh no!**

x x x x x

"Come on, dude," Henry cajoled. "You can't stay cooped up here the whole time. You've got to see the sights. Take in a show. Eat the food. Drink the beer."

"Definitely the beer," Will agreed.

Declan shook his head and smiled, "Mates, what you here call beer, is most assuredly not beer."

Will fired back, "It's suppose to be this English type pub. I'm sure they must have something you'll drink."

"And there's this girl… Well, not really a girl... A woman performing tonight that's got this amazing voice… so I've heard," Henry finished.

"Just because Magnus invited you and your team to stay here, until your Sanctuary is repaired, doesn't mean you have to spend every waking moment obsessing over Sanctuary business," Will pointed out.

"Yah," Henry agreed, "that's the Doc's job."

"And trust me, she's got it down pat," Will said.

One of Declan's team piped up, "I think it's a Head of House thing."

"Never known one that could properly relax," another man added.

"Leave it out!," Declan exclaimed with a smile, "That's enough out of the lot of you."

Helen stood leaning against the doorframe, unnoticed by the occupants of the room. Clearing her throat to get their attention, she commanded, "All of you, out of my house. Go have fun. Just not too much. You all have work to do tomorrow."

Will and Henry rose from their seats with huge grins plastered on their faces. Declan's team looked to their leader. Slowly he got up, "You heard the lady. Everybody out."

x x x x x

Natalija flattened her back against the wall. Her heart raced almost as fast as her mind. Her face flushed and her hands shook. **This cannot be happening!**

In a flash Vladimyr stood at her side, taking her hands in his, "Natalija! What's wrong?"

She looked into her brother's eyes and whispered, "Declan."

He shook his head a bit, as if he didn't hear her properly. She nodded and added, "Table in the back left corner."

Vladimyr peeked around the curtain and pulled back quickly, "Bloody hell!"

"Exactly," his sister said quietly. He could feel her hands shaking in his.

Gig had been watching the exchange silently, but could no longer contain his curiosity, "Who or what is this Declan? And why does he so frighten the likes of you, my dear Natalija?"

Natalija gazed at Gig without really focusing on him, "It's not what you think."

"Nor is it something we are going to get into here," her brother hissed at the other man. Taking a gentler tone, he turned to Natalija, "Perhaps we should not do this tonight."

That seemed to snap her back, as she looked calmly at the two men before her. With her normal determination returned, she stated, "No. We made a promise, and we will keep it." She looked into Vladimyr's eyes and sent. _**I need to do this, Vlad. I'll be fine. I promise.**_

He did not look very reassured, but agreed none the less, "Then we should get started."

With a nod, Gig went out to introduce them. There was no changing her mind now.

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><p>Poor Natalija really was trying to stay away from Declan. Hope you liked it. Let me know what you think, please. Thanks for reading. Until next time.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**Well, here's chapter 4. It took a little longer than I thought it would. My muse gave me a new idea half way through, but I refuse to start another story until I finish at least one of my current projects. The piece of song I use is from 'Dark Night of the Soul' by Loreena McKennitt. No copyright infringement intended. **

**Enjoy!**

**Bold italics = telepathic messages**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4:<strong>

Declan sat with his back to the wall, surveying the entire room. When he found himself noting where all the exits were, he forced himself to stop and take a deep breath. He was here to relax and have some fun, but he honestly wasn't sure he could do that. Years of special forces training had imprinted on him the need to be in control of every situation. Relaxing was an indulgence he very rarely engaged in. His attention was brought back to the table, when a mug was placed in front of him.

He looked up and Will said, "Your guys ordered you a Guinness, since you seemed a bit… occupied."

Declan looked down at the mug dubiously. Lifting it slowly to his lips, he took a hesitant sip. He smiled and joked, "Not half bad."

Henry grinned, "Told you…" He stopped abruptly, when the lights came up on the stage. An impeccably groomed gentleman stepped out of the wings and up to the microphone.

"I'd like to welcome you all to The Blue Rose and thank you for coming out. We have a special treat for you tonight that's pleasant on the eyes as well as the ears. It doesn't hurt that these balladeers are British, either. So without further ado, let's give a warm welcome to Forsaken Immortals." He began clapping and soon everyone in the place had joined him.

A young couple emerged from the wings, both dressed in clothes that more resembled those of a bygone era, rather than the current fashions. The woman's long dark auburn hair was left to fall loosely over her shoulders, while the man's dark blonde hair was tied back with a ribbon. They both bowed slightly, before the woman took a seat at the piano and the man stood at the opposite end holding a violin and bow.

"Good evening, everyone. My name is Elizabeth and this is my brother Carlyle. We are Forsaken Immortals," the young woman stated with a sheepish smile. She nodded to her brother and they began to play a haunting melody.

Declan couldn't seem to take his eyes off of the woman. She seemed so familiar to him, as if they had met before. When she started to sing, he was further captivated. Her voice both lulled and roused him at the same time.

'Upon a darkened night  
>the flame of love was burning in my breast<br>And by a lantern bright  
>I fled my house while all in quiet rest'<p>

He was hit with the sudden realization that, as impossible as it may seem, this was the woman from his dream. As the images from his, all too real, dream came flooding back into his mind, he thought he heard her voice falter for a moment. He glanced up to see her looking at him.

_**Really now, Declan my love. **_Her voice seemed to echo through his mind, reaching into places he didn't even know existed. It was as if someone shone a light on a place in his mind that had previously been too dark to see. He then knew that it had not been a dream. That he had spent the most amazing night of his life with the woman sitting there onstage. He had the urge to go up there and pull her into his arms, kissing her until she explained how this could be. _**Soon enough. I promise.**_

A hand shaking his arm startled him back to attention. Will said, "By the look on your face, I'll take it you approve."

"Yes," Declan managed to get out, "she is quite… good."

"I'd say you think she's more than 'good', dude. You haven't taken your eyes off her, since she stepped onto the stage," Henry told him with a big grin on his face. Declan didn't know how to answer, so he remained quiet. Soon he was, once again, focused solely on her; his Talia.

No one made further mention of Declan's sudden infatuation with the singer. In fact, the men at the table had all become rather silent, as had most of the other patrons. With few exceptions, all eyes were directed to the stage and the couple performing there on.

As the notes of the last song died away, the young woman turned her attention to the audience, "On behalf of my brother and myself I'd like to thank you for having us here. You have been a truly amazing audience. We hope to see you all again, when we return. Good evening."

Without warning, Declan rose from the table, "I need to find the loo, mates. Be back in a jiffy." He didn't wait for a reply, he just headed to the back of the pub.

x x x x x

After her little speech, Natalija and Vladimyr made their way backstage. Following her brother into the hallway that led to the dressing room, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Talia," she heard Declan say in a hushed voice.

She turned slowly and smiled at him, trying to keep her own voice from trembling, "Hello, Declan."

Her brother spun at the sound of her voice and growled low in his throat. Seeing Declan's hand on his sister, he advanced on the couple and looked questioningly at her, "Natalija?"

"It's alright, Vladimyr," she nodded to him. _**I'll take care. I promise. I just…**_ Her eyes wandered back to Declan.

Vladimyr gave a curt nod, "Very well. I'll see you at home, but don't come in too late. If Mother finds out, we'll both be in trouble." He moved forward and placed a kiss on his sister's cheek. He stepped back and glanced at Declan, his eyes swirling with red/black. He turned on his heel and strode away, without another word.

Natalija turned back to Declan, "Please excuse my brother. He is overprotective at the best of times."

"And the worst?" he asked.

She appeared to go ashen for a brief moment, before answering, "You really do not want to find out."

Declan decided that perhaps she was right and changed the subject. He brought his hand up to caress her cheek and questioned, "Is this another dream?"

Natalija pressed his hand flat against her cheek and raised the other one to rest over her heart, "Do I feel like a dream, Declan?"

He shook his head, "No. No you don't. But how is any of this possible?"

"It's one of my special talents," she responds.

"Talents?"

Tilting her head she smiled and simple said, "Telepath." Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him down into a searing kiss.

At first Declan was stunned, but quickly caught up. Slipping his arms around her waist, he responded wholeheartedly to her lips on his. When neither of them could deny the need for oxygen any longer, they broke apart panting. They stood there, foreheads pressed together, just breathing.

"Take me to the Sanctuary, Declan, please," she whispered.

He didn't ask how she knew where he was staying, he really didn't need to. Taking her hand in his, they headed to the nearest exit.

x x x x x

Natalija laid with her head resting over Declan's heart, the fingers of her left hand absently traced the lines of a long healed wound on his chest. Propping herself up with her arm, she examined the scar more closely. Declan watched her through half-closed eyes.

"Shrapnel," she made it a statement not a question.

"Yes," he agreed, "Afghanistan, November 2001."

Natalija looked into his eyes, "Uncle James said you had been special forces, but he never mentioned when or where you had served. I guess I never really thought about it," Seeing sorrow shadow across his features, she added, "I'm so sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" he asked, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face.

"For bringing up something that upsets you," she answered.

Declan became very quiet for a moment. When he spoke it came out as a hoarse whisper, "I have done things, Talia. Things I am not proud of. Things you need…"

Natalija silenced him with a finger to his lips, "Do you think me so innocent, my love? In this life I have lived? No, it has been a long time since I could claim that. I speak of peace, but have used violence against others. I work to save lives, yet I have killed, too. No, my dearest Declan, you are not alone in that. So, you see, you have nothing to explain nor apologize for. Not to me."

Declan pulled her down into a kiss filled with a tender passion, not like the raging inferno of their previous unions. This was a passion born of understanding and acceptance of who they were and are. When they came together, Natalija wept with the joy of it. After, she cried with the sorrow of knowing that to her lover it would be nothing more than a dream. While she cried, Declan cradled her gently in his arms.

As she made to get up, Declan's arms tightened around her, "Please stay."

"You know I cannot," she answered, caressing his cheek.

"But I don't want to forget you, to forget how much I love you," he pleaded. "And I do love you, Talia. I was never a big believer in love-at-first-sight, but I have loved you since the moment we met. I don't want to forget any of that."

Natalija found it hard to breathe, her heart tightened in her chest. She whispered, "You won't really forget, Declan my love. It will just be locked away for safe keeping."

"And you, my sweet Talia, will hold the key?" he asked with a wistful smile.

"Always, my love," she replied, kissing him softly. "Now go to sleep."

Declan reached out to wipe a tear from Natalija's cheek, trying to fight the fog that had begun to settle in his mind. He knew he had lost as he felt himself slip into the dark oblivion of sleep.

x x x x x

The next morning, Henry noticed that there were sections of the security footage missing. None of the alarms had been triggered nor did any of the systems show signs of tampering, and all of the residents and staff were accounted for. He chalked it up to a computer glitch and thought nothing more about it.

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><p>Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading. Until next time.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's the next chapter. Sorry it took so long. I really didn't know how I wanted this chapter to go exactly, so I kept putting off finishing it. Introducing another O/C. An 'old' friend of the family, kind of. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5:<strong>

"You seriously expect us to baby sit him, Mother?" Natalija asked.

Helen tried not to smile at her daughter's statement, "I wouldn't call it baby sitting, exactly. He is older than I am."

Vladimyr let out a harsh laugh, "Maybe he should act like it."

"I know the two of you had plans of your own, but I cannot miss this meeting. It took too long to set it up," their mother stated. "It should only be for a day or two, at most. Lexi is on her way, as we speak."

Natalija placed her hands on her hips, "I still do not see why we need to watch him."

"Because just like your father, Alexander MacEnaugh, spends most of his time ignoring the common sense he was born with," Helen replied.

"Like most men," her daughter mumbles. Glancing at her brother she added, "No offense, brother dear."

He grinned at her, "None taken. I'm not likd most men."

"Perhaps we could handcuff him to his bed," Natalija looked at her mother hopefully.

"Or put him in the SHU," Vladimyr interjected.

"Or the two of you can suck it up and deal with him for a couple of days," their mother told them with finality.

"Fine," they answered in harmony.

From where he was seated in one of the armchairs, Alex said, "I'm so glad you are all my friends. I would hate to hear the conversation otherwise."

All four of them laughed.

x x x x x

"While it has been an interesting evening, I must bid you both a good night," Alex said, rising from the table.

"You tired already, old man?" Natalija asked with a smirk.

Alex leaned over, his nose nearly touching hers, "Some of us still need to sleep, you little vampire witch."

The female vampire stood up fast, forcing him to back away quickly, "Mores the pity for you."

Vladimyr shook his head, not really wanting any part of his sister and his friend's game, "Natalija, just show him to his room. I'll clean up here. Good night, Alex."

Natalija turned to glare at her brother, and he stared right back at her. Alex knew they are communicating in the way only they can and remained silent. With a huff, she turned and started out of the room. She stopped and looked over her shoulder, "Come along, Alex, unless you plan on sleeping in here?"

Alex followed her out of the room and down the hall to wait in front of the lift. He remembered Helen telling him that the community center, as it was, was located on the first floor of the main Residential Building. It was logical to assume that his room was on one of the floors above them. When the doors to the lift opened, Natalija took his hand in hers and pulled him inside.

Pushing the button for the top floor, she told him, "The top two floors are for staff and what Mother terms 'our more or less permanent' residents. Your room is on the top floor with ours."

Alex noticed that she had yet to release his hand, but decided not to mention it. He stepped a bit closer to her, just missing the small smile that played across her lips. When the doors reopened, he let her lead him down the hall to the third door on the right. Finally removing her hand from his, she pulled a red access card from her pocket.

"Master security override," she informed him, sliding it into the slot located just under the keypad and above the handle. A green light flashed on the keypad. Turning the handle she opened the door a little ways. "You need to create a pass code. Just press the pound key, enter six digits, press the star key, and finally the pound key again."

She turned her face away from the door, to give him privacy. He smiled at the gesture and followed her instructions. "All set."

"When you need to get in you press the star key, enter your pass code, and hit the enter key. Voila," she said, placing the card back into her pocket. "If you need anything, my room is two doors down on the left side of the hall. Vladimyr's is at the end of the hall on this side. I'll let you get to bed. Good night, Alex," she leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek.

"Good night, Natalija," Alex watched as she strolled down the hall and went into her room. With a sigh, he entered his room, as well, and closed the door. Natalija left the door to her room slightly ajar. Heading towards her bathroom, she dropped a trail of clothing behind her. She shivered as she crossed the threshold and her feet hit the cold ceramic tiles. She traversed the bathroom and opened the shower door. Turning the spray on full blast, she stepped under the hot streaming water with a moan of pure delight.

A couple of minutes later, the shower door opened and she felt a very male body press against her back. Hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her flush against him. She didn't even open her eyes, as she stated, "Took you long enough."

Alex planted a couple of kisses to the crook of her neck and whispered in her ear, "I am so going to make you pay for that 'old man' crack."

"Oh God! I hope so," she groaned, turning to face him.

x x x x x

When he awoke in the early morning hours, Alex found himself alone in the bed. The sheets where Natalija should have been were cold, indicating that she hadn't remained in bed too long after he fell asleep. He knew she didn't normally require sleep, but she usually stayed cuddled with him on the rare occasions he spent the night.

"Natalija," he called softly.

"I'm here, Alex," Natalija replied just as quietly.

He rolled over to see her sitting on the couch in front of the window. She was hugging her knees to her chest and staring out the window. Alex immediately realized that something was wrong. He tried to coax her, "Come back to bed, my sweet. I'll make whatever it is all better."

"No, I really don't think that's such a good idea," she spoke sullenly, trying to swallow a sob.

In an instant, Alex was sitting next to her on the couch. He took hold of her and pulled her into his arms. She began to cry in earnest, her body shaking with the force of her sobs.

"Last ni… night was a mistake. I didn't mean to u… use you. I'm so sorry, Alex," Natalija managed to get out between snuffles.

"Shh," Alex whispered into her hair, "Tell me what's wrong. Maybe I can help."

She raised her head enough to look into his eyes, "It's nothing you can help me with, Alex. Nobody can bloody help me, I'm afraid."

Realization dawned on him, "Oh Dear God! You went and fell in love!"

"Yes," she nodded slowly.

"Natalija, my sweet, I thought you would have learnt your lesson, after your first go round," he stated solemnly.

She glared at him, "Really? You are going to bring that up now?"

He glanced down a bit ashamed, as he tried to explain, "I am truly sorry, but I remember how much you suffered then. Now, I see you suffering, yet again, because of love."

"The pain I suffered then, was no more Fredrick's fault, than it was mine," Natalija informed him.

"I know that, but… in the end, you were in pain, none the less," he pointed out. "And now…"

She smiled a sad smile, "And now I am in love with a man that cannot know I exist. At least not for the next two years or so."

"Ah. I see," Alex said, "It's the whole going back in time and living a second lifetime thing your dear mother has going on."

Natalija gave him a genuine grin, "Yes, Alex, as you so succinctly put it."

"Did anyone ever tell you that sarcasm is unbecoming of a lady?" he questioned.

She tilted her head, as if thinking about it, "As a matter of fact, yes. But as you should know by now, I do not take criticism very well."

Alex gave her a devious little smile and a wink, "So tell me about this man that has captured your little vampire heart."

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><p>So? Tell me what you think. I plan on putting Alex and his sister Lexi in the story again later. Hope you liked it. Thanks for reading. Until next time.<p> 


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